At least 4 dead, 40 wounded after Russian missile attack on Pokrovsk

A Russian ballistic missile attack on the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast has left at least four people dead and 40 wounded, local authorities reported on June 24. Governor Vadym Filashkin announced on Telegram that Russian forces fired two Iskander missiles at the city, destroying a house and damaging 16 others.

"This is one of the largest enemy attacks on civilians in recent times," Filashkin noted. Among the injured are two girls, aged 12 and 11, and a 12-year-old boy.

Earlier the same day, Filashkin reported a separate attack on the town of Toretsk, where a 63-year-old woman was killed and a 64-year-old man injured. This attack followed an uptick in Russian activity near Toretsk after a period of relative calm.

In his latest update, Filashkin emphasized the growing danger in Donetsk Oblast, stating, "not a single safe place has been left," and urged residents to evacuate from frontline areas.

Ukraine reports about the increase of Russian chemical weapon attacks on battlefield

In May, Ukraine recorded 715 cases of Russian chemical weapons use on the battlefield, an increase of 271 from the previous month, according to the Ukrainian military's Support Forces. A Facebook post by the Support Forces noted that most cases involved CS gas, commonly known as tear gas, which is typically used for crowd control by law enforcement. Although less lethal, CS gas was extensively used in World War I before being banned by the 1925 Geneva Protocol.

From February 15, 2023, to May 24, 2024, a total of 2,698 chemical weapons incidents were recorded, resulting in 1,385 Ukrainian soldiers requiring medical attention. Ukrainian military officials have also accused Russia of using chloropicrin and other chemical weapons. Chloropicrin, often used as an herbicide, can cause severe irritation to the skin, eyes, and internal organs if inhaled, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) stated on May 7 that accusations from both Ukraine and Russia about each other's use of chemical weapons remain "insufficiently substantiated." The OPCW reiterated that using "riot control agents at war on the battlefield" is against international law and noted that neither Ukraine nor Russia had officially requested an investigation into these allegations.

Russian weekend attacks on Kharkiv killed 4, injured around 70

On June 22, Russian forces struck Kharkiv with glide bombs, killing three people and injuring 56, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov. The attack damaged a five-story residential building, a private house, five non-residential buildings, 16 commercial pavilions, 25 vehicles, a trolleybus, two pharmacies, and a car dealership. Additionally, three more glide bombs hit an enterprise in the Kholodnohirskyi district, injuring four people and killing one.

Moscow has recently intensified its attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, using missiles, glide bombs, and drones. These attacks have destroyed energy infrastructure and killed civilians.

On June 23, Russia launched another glide bomb attack on Kharkiv, hitting civilian infrastructure. One person was killed, and 12 were injured. The bombs damaged an educational facility and multi-story residential buildings in the Shevchenkivskyi district, and destroyed two private houses in the Kholodnohirskyi district.

Following the attack, parts of Kharkiv lost power, and the metro system stopped operating. President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the situation, vowing to restore the city and enhance its defenses. "We will definitely restore everything and return to normal. We are working as hard as possible to deprive the Russians of the ability to terrorize our cities," Zelensky wrote on Telegram. He emphasized the need for modern air defense systems, strong combat aviation, long-range weapons, and support from international partners to stop Russian attacks.

Three civilians injured in Russian attacks on Nikopol

On Monday, June 24, three civilians were injured during a Russian attack on the city of Nikopol. Serhii Lysak, the Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, reported the incident on Telegram.

"Today, three people have been injured in Nikopol as a result of enemy strikes," Lysak stated. Among the injured, a 62-year-old man was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds and is in moderate condition. Additionally, two women, aged 68 and 72, sustained injuries and will be treated as outpatients.

This attack follows a series of strikes on Nikopol. On Sunday, June 23, Russian forces continued their assault on the city using artillery and kamikaze drones. A 66-year-old woman was injured and hospitalized in moderate condition as a result.